Puppy Vaccination Schedule, Week by Week
Puppy vaccination schedule week by week: core vaccines for distemper, parvo, hepatitis and rabies, why puppies need a series, boosters and safe socialisation.
Health guide
Not a substitute for a vet. If your animal is unwell, in pain or getting worse, contact a qualified veterinarian straight away.
Quick answer
Puppies usually start core vaccines at 6–8 weeks of age and have a booster every 2–4 weeks until they are at least 16 weeks old, then another booster at 6 months to 1 year. Core vaccines protect against canine distemper, canine parvovirus and infectious canine hepatitis (adenovirus), plus rabies where it is present or legally required. The exact schedule depends on your vet, local disease risk and local rules.
Why puppies need several doses
A puppy's first protection comes from antibodies in its mother's first milk. That's a good thing, except that the same maternal antibodies also neutralise vaccines. They fade at different times in different puppies, sometimes not until about 16 weeks or later. There is no simple way to tell when that happens for any one puppy.
So the vaccine is repeated every few weeks. Whenever the maternal antibodies drop, a dose follows soon after. The booster at 6–12 months then picks up any puppy that did not respond fully to the earlier doses. Skip the later doses, or stop at 12 weeks, and a puppy can be left unprotected without anyone realising.
The core vaccines
"Core" vaccines are the ones recommended for every dog, everywhere.
| Disease | What it does | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Canine parvovirus (CPV) | Severe vomiting and bloody diarrhoea; attacks the gut and immune system | Very hardy virus that survives in the environment for months; often fatal in unvaccinated puppies |
| Canine distemper (CDV) | Fever, eye and nose discharge, coughing, diarrhoea, and later seizures or twitching | Spread through the air; can be fatal or leave lasting nerve damage |
| Infectious canine hepatitis (CAV-1) | Liver damage, fever, bleeding problems | Vaccines use a related adenovirus (CAV-2) that also protects against this |
| Rabies | Fatal nervous system disease that can spread to people | Core wherever rabies is present or law requires it |
The first three usually go in together as one combination injection, often labelled DHP, DAPP or similar. Some versions add parainfluenza and leptospirosis.
A typical week-by-week pattern
Below is the pattern most vets use, shown as an example only. Your vet sets the actual dates from the vaccine brand, your puppy's history and the diseases common where you live.
| Puppy age | Typical visit |
|---|---|
| 6–8 weeks | First core combination (distemper, parvo, adenovirus); health check; deworming |
| 10–12 weeks | Second core dose; leptospirosis first dose if advised |
| 12–16 weeks | Further core dose; rabies where required or recommended; second leptospirosis dose if started |
| 16 weeks or older | Final puppy core dose (at 16 weeks or older; some vets add one at 18–20 weeks in high-risk areas) |
| 6 months to 1 year | Booster to complete the primary course |
| Adult | Core boosters often every 3 years for many products; leptospirosis is usually yearly; rabies as the product and local law require |
Puppy came with a partial history? Bring the vaccination card. Vets can usually pick up where the previous vet left off.
Rabies
Rabies rules differ by country, and sometimes by region. Some places require rabies vaccination for dogs by law. Elsewhere it may be optional, or needed only for travel. The age for the first dose depends on the vaccine and local regulations. If you plan to travel abroad, start early: many destinations want microchipping, specific vaccine timing and sometimes blood tests done months in advance.
Non-core vaccines
Whether your vet suggests these depends on how your dog lives and where:
- Leptospirosis: a bacterial disease spread through the urine of rats and other animals, often via puddles, floodwater and rivers. It can cause kidney and liver failure, and it can infect people. In many regions it is effectively treated as core.
- Kennel cough (Bordetella and parainfluenza): recommended for dogs that board or go to daycare, training classes or shows.
- Lyme disease and others: relevant only in certain regions.
After the injection
Most puppies show no reaction at all. Mild effects that pass quickly can include:
- Sleepiness or reduced appetite for a day
- A small, tender swelling where the injection was given
- A mild cough or sneeze after an intranasal kennel cough vaccine
When to see a vet
Contact your vet urgently if after vaccination your puppy has:
- Swelling of the face, lips or eyes, or hives
- Vomiting or diarrhoea, especially within hours
- Difficulty breathing, pale gums, weakness or collapse
- Lethargy or no interest in food for more than 24 hours
At any stage of the schedule, go straight to the vet if your puppy has vomiting with diarrhoea (especially if it is bloody) or seems very flat. These can be signs of parvovirus, and parvo is an emergency. See parvo in dogs for more.
Socialisation while protection builds
Puppies have a socialisation window that runs until roughly 12–14 weeks of age. Keeping a puppy shut away until the vaccines are finished carries its own risks, so most keepers aim for a balance:
- Do: carry your puppy out to see traffic, people and sounds; invite vaccinated, healthy adult dogs into a clean garden; join puppy classes that check vaccine records and clean their floors.
- Avoid: parks, pavements and areas where unknown or stray dogs toilet, until your vet says it is safe; pet shop floors; contact with dogs of unknown vaccine status.
Keeping track
- Keep the vaccination card safe and take a photo of it.
- Set reminders for each booster date.
- Ask your vet to write the next due date on the card at each visit.
Feeding, training and daily routine are covered in our dog care basics guide.
In Pakistan
Rabies and parvovirus are both present in Pakistan, and stray dogs are common in many towns and cities. That makes the core vaccines and rabies vaccination especially important here. Small-animal clinics in the major cities stock combination vaccines, but cold-chain storage matters. A vaccine that has been kept warm may not work, so use a clinic you trust rather than buying vaccines to inject at home. Prices vary between cities and clinics, so ask for the full cost of the whole course up front. And be wary of any seller who says a 6–8-week-old puppy is "fully vaccinated". At that age it can only have had its first dose.
Looking for a puppy with a proper vaccination record? Browse dogs from verified sellers on Paalo.
Frequently asked questions
When can my puppy go for walks outside?
Most vets advise waiting until one to two weeks after the final puppy vaccination before walking in public places where unknown dogs go. Before then you can carry your puppy outside, visit vaccinated dogs in clean private gardens, and join puppy classes that require vaccinations.
Why does my puppy need so many injections?
Antibodies from the mother's milk can block the vaccine in the early weeks, and the time they wear off varies from puppy to puppy. Repeating the vaccine every few weeks until at least 16 weeks old makes sure one dose works once that protection fades.
Is it safe to vaccinate a puppy that seems a little unwell?
Tell your vet about any symptoms. They will examine your puppy first and may delay vaccination if it is unwell, as a sick puppy may not respond well to the vaccine.
